Foreign Feelings
by once-upon-a-potato
Summary: MakotoXReader. Just a short little story for all the Makoto lovers out there!


**Okay this is actually supposed to be written in second-person because it's MakotoXReader but I hate "you"s so I'm using first-person instead**

**so: I=you**

**I don't know if this gonna be a one shot or not...still debating(:**

* * *

I looked up from the piles of books surrounding me and glanced at the window. My eyes widened in surprise at the dark indigo hue outside and the black silhouettes of trees. The clock on the library wall read 7:30.

Was it already this late?! How long have I stayed after school to study? Even the clubs must all be finished by now.

With a sigh I swept the books into my backpack and heaved it onto my shoulders, staggering from the heavy weight. I walked past the countless bookshelves and wasn't surprised to find the library empty. Heck, the entire school must have gone home.

I turned off the lights in the library and trudged down the dark hallways, feeling slightly uneasy in the dead silence of the school. I'm never going to stay this late again.

I was huffing loudly by the time I reached the exit door and I shifted the heavy backpack into a more comfortable position as I pushed it open.

The cool night air did not blast in my face as I had expected, and instead I found myself stepping onto neat marble tiles. The ones you usually find in a gym locker room. The tall, dark rows of lockers and the musty smell of shampoo and sweat confirmed my assumption. The unpleasant smell told me that it was the boy's locker room. Did I take a wrong turn somewhere?

The main exit was a long way from the locker room and I did not feel like walking all the way back with thirty pounds of books on my back. I remembered that there was an exit at the back of the locker room that led to the pool so I stepped in and shut the door behind me.

"Ugh…" These books were killing me. And not just me, I'm sure. The upcoming midterm exams will be the death of everyone.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed by out of nowhere and I screamed without thinking, stumbling back towards the entrance door.

"Wait—," a male voice called as his shadowy figure started to approach me. I haven't adjusted to the darkness yet so I couldn't see who it was.

A pervert. A pervert. That must be it. Which student or teacher in their right mind would be at the school this late? If this guy caught me…

I whimpered in fear and ran towards the door, but the enormous backpack wobbled on my back and I lost my balance and fell over. My breath hitched in my throat and I shuddered as the figure knelt down in front of me. Whoever the person was, he had quite a large build.

"S-stop, stop, get away from me!" I yelled in panic, my voice shaky with fear.

"Hey, calm down! It's just Makoto…Tachibana Makoto. Are you alright?" The boy's voice was kind and laced with concern.

I paused in the process of hurling my backpack at him and blinked, gradually adjusting to the darkness. I recognized the green eyes and the broad, muscular shoulders of the Iwatobi Swim Club captain, Makoto Tachibana.

A deep blush crept up my face as I realized with embarrassment what I had just tried to do. I had actually thought that he was a pervert…and I had screamed at him…and I had told him to get away from me…and I had tried to throw my thirty-pound-backpack at him…How could I have been so horrible?! What should I do? I can't face him like this!

"I-I'm so sorry, Tachibana-san!" I blurted, wanting to smack myself for being so stupid earlier.

"Nah, I'm sorry for scaring you," Makoto chuckled and stood up, offering me his hand. I couldn't believe he was being so nice to me after I had literally tried to attack him. I took his hand and he pulled me up easily, with the heavy backpack and all. I silently admired his strength. His hand was considerably bigger than mine and a lot warmer, and I was disappointed when he let go.

What in the world am I thinking? I barely even knew this guy! Well…sure, he was pretty popular with the girls I've heard quite a lot about him, but he had always been just another classmate to me. I convinced myself that the earlier shock had jumbled up my thoughts and I just needed to calm down.

"U-uh…if I may ask, what are you doing here, Tachibana-san?"

"Oh, I forgot something in my locker, so I came back to get it. And what about you? This…_is_ the boy's locker room, you know," Makoto's voice was amused as he let out a laugh.

"I…I got lost," I muttered, embarrassed. "The hallways are really dark!" I added indignantly as he laughed again.

"Let's get out of here, then. I'm actually quite afraid of the dark."

Huh. That's cute.

I mentally smacked myself for thinking that thought.

I turned to go but felt Makoto's hands graze my shoulders and the next second the heavy weight of the backpack was lifted off. I turned around in surprise and saw that he was now carrying it on one shoulder.

"[Your name]-chan, this is quite heavy for a girl," Makoto commented, a worried expression grazing his face. "I'll carry it for you." He turned and started walking towards the door.

I was still for a second, shocked that he knew my name. I was pretty sure this was the first time we've had a conversation. I wondered how he knew, when we weren't even in the same class.

My thoughts dissipated and I snapped out of my pointless reverie. I chased after Makoto and reached out, gripping the fabric of my backpack.

"No, don't carry that! It's really heavy. Please give it back to me, you'll strain your shoulders…then you won't be able to swim."

Makoto's emerald eyes widened slightly as he tilted his head back to look at me.

"Heh…you know I swim?"

Doesn't the whole school know? This guy was quite oblivious to his popularity, wasn't he?

"Yeah…backstroke, right? Or…maybe it's…something else…?" I trailed off uncertainly, trying to remember his best stroke. "Ah, I'm not sure," I said apologetically after a while. "I've never seen you swim, to be honest. I just heard that backstroke was your best style."

To my surprise, Makoto's lips curled into a smile and he leaned down slightly, so that his green eyes were right in front of mine. I held my breath.

"Really? Then, you should come watch our race this Friday against Samezuka, [Your name]-chan."

I couldn't believe he was inviting me. But on second thought, he was probably just being nice. He probably asked a bunch of other people as well.

"I-I'll try," I said. But…midterms. Midterms. Oh, screw the midterms.

His smile widened and I found myself mesmerized by that adorable expression.

"Ugh." I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my head. What has gotten into me?

Before he could ask any questions about my weird behavior, I pushed open the door and stepped out, desperately in need of fresh air. This guy was making my head spin and I felt like I couldn't breathe when he was in front of me.

Makoto insisted on carrying my bag even though I objected multiple times, and I felt quite horrible as we walked down the streets together.

"I'm sorry, Tachibana-san," I said for the millionth time.

"It's fine, it's fine," he waved away my apology, smiling kindly. "And…you can just call me Makoto."

I was silent for a while, summoning up the courage to say his name.

"M…Mako…to." The name was pleasant on my tongue, and I wanted to say it again.

"Hmm?" He glanced at me, expectant. He looked very happy, for some reason.

"Eh…nothing." I looked away, hiding my blush. I couldn't remember ever feeling like this.

We walked together for the rest of the way until I reached my house. Makoto seemed surprised at the location of my house and glanced at the house next to mine, looking back and forth between the two.

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

"I didn't know you were neighbors with Haru! You guys live right next to each other?"

"Ah…yes, we're neighbors."

"How come I've never seen you around?"

I wasn't about to tell him that I've always seen _him _around. He always came in the morning to wake up Haru, and always walked back home with Haru after school. I thought it would've been awkward if I had appeared at those times, so I had steered clear of them.

"I guess our times just never matched," I lied.

Makoto didn't question me any further as he handed my backpack back to me. The sudden weight came as a surprise and I stumbled forward, losing my balance. A pair of strong arms caught me and held me firmly, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. The relief disappeared quickly as I realized that my face was muffled in his shirt and felt his hard muscles beneath the fabric. I noticed that he also smelled really nice. Makoto did not let go of me, for some reason. My heartbeat began to quicken, and I pushed back and staggered away from Makoto. My whole body seemed to be on fire from the close contact.

I hitched the stupid bag higher onto my shoulders and cursed my own clumsiness.

"I'm so sorry."

Makoto gazed at me and didn't say anything. He seemed lost in thought, his green eyes taking me in. I shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

"So…uh…goodnight, I guess. Thanks for carrying my backpack all this way."

"Oh," Makoto blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, "yeah. I'll be going, then. See you tomorrow, [Your name]-chan."

He waved and walked away, the moonlight stretching his long shadow even longer on the pavement.

I stayed in front of my house for a few more minutes, staring after his retreating figure. No matter how hard I tried, I could not forget the feeling of his arms around me, and his body against mine, even if it had only been for a few seconds.

"Stop…" I held my head, unable to comprehend these foreign feelings. What was wrong with me?

* * *

Makoto walked slowly toward the direction of his house, staring at his hands. He, too, could not shake off the memory of your skin against his. Unlike you, though, he was not trying to fight against it.

He felt a bit guilty for thinking about you in that way, but he couldn't help it.

"Huh…I really…liked the way she felt…in my arms."


End file.
